Pages

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Word of God

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

So, “in the beginning,” when “God created the heavens and the earth,” the Word was with God and was God. The fullness of the Word of God already existed at the creation of the universe. Mind-blowing.

If you’re Jewish, when you hear the phrase “the Word of God” you probably think of the Torah or the Tanakh. If you’re Christian, you probably think of the Holy Bible. The Old Testament - or the Tanakh in Judaism – is the oldest part of the Bible; but it wasn’t yet written at the time of creation. Indeed, Job, the oldest book of the Old Testament, wasn’t written until around 1500 BC – long after the time of creation.

All of this brings me to something that has built in my mind for years – something I have started calling the unity of the Word. Here it is – don’t limit the Word of God to a book you take to church or that sits on your bookshelf. The Word of God is that book but it is so much more.

Jesus

John 1:1 says the Word was with God and was God in the beginning. John also wrote a few verses later that “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

Only One person in all of humanity’s history fits that account – Jesus Christ.

Power

Power is part of the unity of the Word of God. Jesus’ words were directly from the Father (John 14:10). As He spoke the Word of God to the people, “they were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority” (Luke 4:32) or had “power” in the King James Version.

The Word of God is power to create. The Creation story is in Genesis 1 and 2. The words “God said” appear ten times in those chapters; each word of God created another aspect of our world and the universe. Galaxies, planets, soil, oceans, animals, plants, and even people all exist because God spoke them into existence. The Word of God created.

The Word of God is also power to destroy. The book of Revelation frequently refers to the words of Christ as a sword reserved for those who reject and rebel against Him. “Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” (Revelation 19:15).

Truth

Many times the Word of God is referred to as the truth but perhaps the simplest example is, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Jesus also is the truth. He left no doubt on this issue when He declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Our secular mindset has moved so far away from the possibility of one Truth that we have lost the importance of this reality. Here’s the thing about truth, though. What we may or may not believe about truth doesn’t change the fact that it is the truth. Truth is truth regardless of whether we choose to accept it.

What does this mean for me?

First, it’s a package deal. We can’t separate Jesus and the Bible from power and truth. We can’t accept the truth of the New Testament and Jesus’ life while we deny the truth of the Old Testament. We can’t say the Bible is truth and yet deny the power inherent in it. We can’t say Jesus was only a man and not God as that would deny the truth, God’s power, and the Bible. If you claim to believe any one of these things, then you have to believe all of them.

Second, it’s all about Jesus – in ways I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around. It’s not all about me. Or you. But you know what? Even though it’s all about Him, He loves YOU, He wants YOU for His own. He who is “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:21-23).